Have a go says soccer president
"ADF soccer is getting a much higher profile than it used to, especially now that the women are putting up very strong teams" - LEUT Paul Denneny

By Andrew Stackpool

A member of the Navy women’s soccer team takes out the ball and her Army opponent during the National Interservice titles at Randwick Barracks.

Photo: Bill Cunneen

President of the Combined Services Soccer Association LEUT Paul Denneny is encouraging more participation and support for ADF soccer.

His remarks came at the end of the Interservice Soccer Nationals at Randwick Barracks, Sydney, from November 3-5.

The intense competition saw some 160 male and female players participate. They included teams from the NSW Police, who had just returned from the World Police Games in Barcelona.

LEUT Denneny said that despite the high operational tempo currently levied on the ADF it was encouraging to see individual units giving soccer and other Defence sportsmen and women more flexibility. This was great for the sport and was also good for the ADF.

“Here we have teams giving 110 per cent, always physical, highly skilled and playing to their best.

“They want to be here, even if that means giving up leave and paying their own way to participate,” he said.
LEUT Denneny would like to see more money made available and indicated many ADF sporting teams are seeking corporate sponsorship to assist them.

“This (extra funding) will lift individual and team standards, further benefiting each individual sport,” he said.
“In the case of soccer (which is the world’s most played game) ADF soccer is getting a much higher profile than it used to, especially now that the women are putting up very strong teams.

“The men are competing very strongly as well and the standard of talent has international recognition.

“For example, during the last tour to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia we played both military and national teams, although the latter are by and large made up of players from their conscripted Defence Forces.

“Soccer is their national sport and we were very well received.

Women performed exceptionally well in the Australian/Malaysian Championships, while the ADF recently won at the NSW Corporate Games. The women’s team has been undefeated against 17 teams, winning gold and silver over the last five years.

The men have won gold and silver twice while the over-30s team has never been defeated since the Games’ inception.

Denneny believes that competitions like the interservice carnival also have a very positive impact on retention rates.

“If people are supported properly and can compete at this level, even go on to the ADF teams, then they’ll keep coming back,” he said.

“They’ll stick round to give it all they’ve got.

This, along with the friendships they make and take back into the workplace is a powerful incentive.”

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